Aspiring to change the world; one pound cake at a time

This post was a long time in the making. I got a bee in my bonnet and decided that I wanted to make sweet potato (or yam to many) pasta made of ONLY that ingredient; using the Spiralizer for a Friday Food Find, which I wrote about here. After several attempts and variations, I finally prevailed, and it was well worth it! Look at these beautiful tendrils...

If you have not heard of this little gadget, I am here to spread the word! The spiralizer takes a multitude of vegetables and turns them into pasta, chips, or shoe-string frittes. You can also use this tool to transform fruit into chips, salad, garnishes, ribbons, and more. The only limits are your imagination. My first attempt at using the spiralizer was a fresh zucchini and pea salad that was dressed with mint, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, and olive oil. It tasted like spring in a bowl.

Over the years, I have tweaked, adjusted, and morphed my meatloaf into what is lovingly called meatload in my house. This is not your mother's meat loaf, nor my mum's for that matter. It is a dense, almost-terrine like version of the original that packs a herbaceous punch with a smokey backbone.

“I have this little sister, Lola.She is small and very funny.” It's been more than 15 years since Charlie first uttered these simple, yet poignant words in Lauren Child's wonderful Charlie and Lola picture books with the first book I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato. Charlie goes on to say, “Sometimes Mom and Dad ask me to help give Lola her dinner. This is a hard job because Lola is a very fussy eater.” Charlie then comes up with an ingenious way to cajole Lola into trying—and actually liking—her plate of food.

Nothing against a turkey wrap, but my favorite type of wrap is a lettuce wrap. I always feel like I am eating so healthy when I order it in the Asian bistro (you know the one).After looking online at the stats, it turns out that while I feel I am eating well, that may not be entirely the case: one serving has 530 calories, 24 grams of fat, 2090 milligrams of sodium. On the bright side, it does have only 47 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of dietary fiber, and a whooping 32 grams of protein. It is not the worst meal you could have, but definitely not as health conscious as I once thought. It got me to thinking; how healthy are the baby bok choy wraps that I make at home?

For the most part, I love cooking. But there are some days when I just want to kick my feet up, sip on a hearty glass of wine, and enjoy the moment. Today was one of those days. But just because I was not in the mood to spend too much time in the kitchen did not mean that I did not want a robust dinner to match that full-flavored glass of vino.

It's late March here in the Northwest and the weather is anything but predictable. One day, the clouds amass in a blanket of grey and the next they are pillowy white racing through a Capri-hued backdrop. And if that were not enough, there are plenty of days that provide both. But one thing you can count on is a crispness to the air that makes you feel alive. After a winter of hibernating, it's a welcome notion to get outside, take a deep breath, and stick your hands in some dirt.